September Is National Yoga Awareness Month

When I look at how I manage the everyday juggle and grind, there is one thing that keeps me most grounded through it all. There is one thing, that no matter how stressed I am, or how frazzled I may be, that literally transforms my entire aura.

About 11 years ago, I was close to burning out. I don't think anyone knew just how close I was. I owned a successful company, with sales growing by the quarter. I was named one of the Top 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs. Top 40 Under 40 Nominee. I graced the cover of multiple business sections in newspapers. I was named a Profit Hot 50 Company. One of Canada's 50 Emerging Growth Companies. I was the only female CEO on the list. And more. I was newly married. I had no kids.

But the more my company grew, the more I burned out. I wasn't sleeping at night, and my mind was consumed by the business 24/7. I started to see a therapist who told me to create a "Worry List" on my nightstand. The Worry List worked as follows: When my thoughts kept me up at night, the idea was to transfer them from my head onto paper, to worry about them at another time (not during my sacred time, when I deserved to sleep).

She also told me to try something else: yoga. And so I did. I hired a private yoga instructor to come to my house twice a week. I did prenatal yoga throughout both my pregnancies. I now do yoga at my gym or at home. And ever since that near burnout, I have never stopped doing yoga.

So, in honor of National Yoga Awareness Month, I wanted to perhaps turn YOU onto yoga. And give you some tips. Yoga could change your life.

If you think you won't enjoy it, or that it's not a workout, or that you won't get toned, or if you think yoga is for freaks, I want to leave you with five reasons: Why yoga?

Simply put... yoga will make you feel better. And not just right after you finish a class or your own practice. This feeling carries you throughout your day.

There are many different yoga practices. Try them and find a practice that you enjoy. I have linked you to different types and styles of yoga -- click here. I have yet to try Bikram yoga, or hot yoga, which I am dying to try. The yoga practice I have mostly done for years is called ashtanga yoga or power yoga. But there are benefits to all the different types.

You don't have to spend lots of money on yoga to rebalance yourself. You can create your own yoga space. All you need is a good yoga mat, a space to call your own, some water, perhaps a nice smelling candle, and a good DVD. I discovered yoga for stress relief purposes, and a friend of mine who did the same told me about this yoga DVD for stress relief. But there are a ton on the market, and if you turn on your TV in the early am, chances are you can catch one live. I find TV yoga quite easy, so if I'm too lazy to go to a yoga class at the gym, I will do the 30-minute TV yoga and add some harder poses at the end to further challenge myself.

Yoga is truly for EVERYONE -- young and old. Besides making you feel better, yoga will build your strength and flexibility and, I say it again... decrease stress! Yoga promotes a balance between the mind, body, and spirit for all who practice it regularly. And I will be honest, yoga can give you a longer, leaner body, and promote better posture (if you combine it with healthy eating). So even if you do yoga as your "workout" (another reason I did yoga at the beginning), over time you will feel all those other benefits as well.

It takes time, so give it a chance. It WILL feel weird at the beginning. You're gonna laugh, and you're gonna feel uncomfortable at the beginning. It's pretty much a guarantee. You might feel very inflexible and very tight in your muscles and joints. But give it time. It just takes time. Be open.

So Happy National Yoga Awareness Month readers!

As the Buddha says: "There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting."

I'd love to hear if yoga has helped you in any way. Feel free to leave any yoga tips for our readers, or any ways yoga has helped you in your life.